


Catch A Falling Star

by InfiniteObsession



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Human Trafficking, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 13:25:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16556612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfiniteObsession/pseuds/InfiniteObsession
Summary: Sunggyu is a chaebol drifter just trying to find his place in a world he once thought he knew enough about.Woohyun is a victim who has paid the price for chasing a pipe dream.A secret resistance brings them together but their own desires will tear them apart.[TW for human trafficking and prostitution.][Cross-posted every 3 chapters from AFF]





	1. Prologue

_Dear Woohyun,_

_I'm sorry everything ended the way they did. Just know that hyung has a lot of regrets but you will never be one of them. I hope one day you find someone you can share our story with. You can tell them that was the story of the boy who saw your heart... and this is how it ends._  
  
Love always,  
Sunggyu-hyung  
 

  
The letter ends as abruptly as the package arrived. There was no fanfare, no big proclamations, although some would argue the closer was a pretty big proclamation, it just ended. No postscripts, no innuendos, and no indication that Sunggyu was ever coming back for him.

  
The package contained nothing else except the passbook he didn’t know what to do with and the journal Sunggyu had faithfully kept throughout their... relationship. Yes, here in the privacy of his childhood bedroom that had until recently been uninhabited and undisturbed for years, he could admit that what they shared, what transpired between the two of them was indeed a relationship. If only Sunggyu had stuck around so they could salvage it. That wasn't fair, of course. Not when Woohyun was the one who so adamantly pushed the older away until there was nothing left to do but leave. And so Sunggyu had left and Woohyun was left with nothing but this package and his own regrets (with all the accompanying bitterness).


	2. Chapter 1

* * *

## Put it in your pocket 

* * *

 

**June 8, 2010**

Sunggyu sighs deeply as he pretends to listen to his noona’s rant. She had barged into his apartment hours ago and insisted that their father was crazy and asking for too much and that she was definitely going to tender her resignation soon. It was all a very familiar spiel, one he had been hearing almost weekly since she had started working, no, interning even, for the entertainment agency that their family owned. The results of nights like this were always the same. She would pass out (in his spare room, if he was lucky), wake up hungover, and trudge straight back to the office where she had a private shower and kept a spare set of clothes.

“Why couldn’t it be you?” Jieun slurred out, gesturing sloppily with her shot glass. “You’re smart, have an ear for music and talent… why didn’t he want you in it?”

Sunggyu had been wondering the same for years now, and it wasn’t as if he was going to come up with answers so he responded with why she had been chosen as the apparent successor instead.

“Come on, noona. Even if I wasn't always a kid in dad's eyes you've always been the clear choice, not to mention I was an actual minor when you started interning. You graduated top of your class with a dual major in psychology and business. You know we’re not a music agency, we’re a…”

“Talent management agency, a glorified human resource department for broadcasting stations, I know, I know…” She said interrupting him for the umpteenth time, reaching for an already empty soju bottle to refill her own glass, almost knocking over a bowl of chips and his own glass which had remained mostly untouched.

Wincing at her unusual clumsiness, he gently pried the empty bottle from her hands. “Maybe you should go to bed, noona. Or I could drive you home?” The look she gave him let him know neither of those things was happening and he got another bottle from his liquor refrigerator, muttering under his breath about drunken sisters who should know their limits by now.

“So ungrateful, Gyu. Who snuck your compositions in under a pseudonym so you could pay for this crappy apartment, huh? Mr. Strong and Independent couldn’t even do that himself. Hmph.” Sunggyu bit his lip as he endured her teasing and literal ear pulling.

“You did…” he replied tonelessly, pouring her a full shot.

“That’s right, baby brother.” Jieun said, downing the shot and letting out a satisfied burp. “Although with all the royalties you got for those, you should be living in a better place than this dump.”

Sunggyu couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “My apartment is not crappy and it’s hardly a dump.” And it really wasn't. It was a spacious two-bedroom apartment, with enough space for him and his instruments and the occasional friend (or sibling, in this case) sleeping over. Comparatively speaking, however, it was the equivalent of a closet in their palatial family penthouse in Hannam-dong.

“Mom would have hated it here.” She mumbled into her shot.

Sunggyu’s eyes widened and he turned to her with a ferocity that revealed his hatred of this particular topic. “Mom is dead.” He snaps, taking the alcohol forcefully this time and marching to the kitchen.

“No, she’s not!” She retorts back hot on his heels.

“She is to me!” His hands are shaking so badly he drops the bottle. “Fuck!” He’s so angry he feels like kicking at the shards scattered all over his kitchen floor.

“Gyu…” She sounds apologetic, she also sounds like she’s about to cry. If there’s one thing Sunggyu can’t handle it’s his sister crying.

“Just go to bed, noona. I have to clean this up…” He flaps his arms and waves her away, sighing as she walks dejectedly into his guest bedroom. He lets a quiet ‘good night’ slip from his lips and starts to clean up the mess, another mess his mother caused in his life, he thinks bitterly.

After he properly disposes of the bits of broken bottle and mops up the soju, Sunggyu collapses in his own bed for the night. And for a while, he thinks his life really can’t get any more dramatic than it is right now. He is very, very wrong.

 

* * *

 

**June 9, 2010**

Jieun wakes him up gently the next morning, saying she had made them both hangover soup. When he gets up and snarkily points out that she’s the one who’s hungover, she knows that all is well between them. Or as well as it’s been for the last four or five years, anyway.

As she rushes through her morning coffee, which despite his protestations that she spends way too much time in his space Sunggyu still stocks up on, Sunggyu asks if he can drop by her office later today.

“Not for business, I swear, I don’t really need any compositions slipped in right now.” He assures her, noticing that she had stiffened up. “I just… well, I’m bored and inspiration isn’t really hitting me right now, y’know?”

“The company isn’t your playground.” She scolds but reminds him that she really doesn’t mind him slipping in a few of his compositions for the artists they manage. They were actually really good, but his voice tended to stand out when he sang as a guide is all. “I’m starting to think you have a crush on my assistant.”

Sunggyu snorts thoughts flashing to the feisty blonde bombshell who worked as his sister's scarily efficient executive assistant, “I don’t have a deathwish. Besides, he’s not my type.”

“If you ever figure out your specific type in addition to ‘male’, let me know. The ladies in my club can't wait to set you up with their sons and have Korea's gay wedding of the century.” Jieun says as she pulls on her shoes. “You can come by for lunch but dad and I have a meeting outside of Seoul in the afternoon.”

Sunggyu pouted. He had scheduled a lunch with his friend Dongwoo today. “Maybe I can go with you and dad? I won’t go to the meeting but I can drive for you guys.” He volunteered.

“No. Uhhh, the meeting will probably take too long. You’ll get bored.” Jieun said firmly. That was a surprise, usually Jieun loved having Sunggyu chauffeur them around. Before he could open his mouth to argue, she blew him an air kiss and ran out the door.

‘Girls are weird.’ He thought to himself.

* * *

“How are the extra classes, hyung?” Dongwoo asks, legs shaking under the table like he was an energizer bunny just ready to bolt at any moment.

“They're good. The professors are hands off for the most part, which means I don't have to come in except for evaluations and things.”

Sunggyu was only 22 but already taking up a master's degree in music and composition. Despite his artistic inclinations, he'd always been clever and his father had pushed him to excel academically, although for what purpose he never knew. He was never allowed to work in their company whether directly with the artists or on a more managerial, paper pushing level. Kim Minggyu had always said that having Jieun working for him was enough and that Sunggyu should just enjoy his life and live freely.

It was insulting, really. He was a grown man expected to do nothing but live off of his parents’ wealth. His contemporaries always complained about having to take over for their parents or work for the family in some capacity but Sunggyu thought he had it worse. He had no purpose in life. He just aimlessly drifted around. When he had brought up the idea of working as a professor or applying to work for another company, his father had refused by saying that it would embarrass the family to have his own son working some white collar job. Which didn't make any sense at all, really. Wasn't it more embarrassing to have a son who was a bum?

“Thinking of your dad?” Dongwoo asked as he stole a second bite from Sunggyu's relatively untouched meal. Dongwoo was his closest friend and the only one who really understood what was going on with him. He was also the only one brave enough, or stupid enough, to mess with Sunggyu and his food.

“Yeah…” Sunggyu pouted, picking up his chopsticks to push his food around. “He just makes no sense, you know?”

Dongwoo nodded but before he could open his mouth to give his unsolicited two cents, Sunggyu's phone started ringing. It only ever rang for 3 people, and one of them was sitting across from him so Sunggyu immediately picked up.

“Appa?”

“Ahh, Sunggyu-yah. What's my favorite son up to? Why didn't you join us for lunch?”

“I made lunch plans with Dongwoo… I'm sitting with him now.” Sunggyu replies warily.

“Oh, Dongwoo! My other favorite son.” Mingyu said fondly, chuckling at his own familiarity. “How is he? Still refusing my exclusive contract?”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes, making sure that Dongwoo saw. “He likes having his own studio and doing his own thing. And he's fine. His hair is pink now.”

“Is it? I saw him when he was working with Big Dipper in the company two weeks ago and I could have sworn he was still blonde!”

“What do you need, appa?” Sunggyu asked impatiently, intercepting Dongwoo's thieving chopsticks with his own. He had been ignoring his food to ruminate on his life's mysteries but he wasn't about to starve.

“Jieun mentioned you wanted to come over to the company this afternoon.” His dad said, voice coming out sterner this time.

“It's not for anything! I'm just bored!” He hits the mute button quickly and whispers threateningly to his friend, “If you don't stop trying to steal my food, I'm telling abeoji you and _that female singer_ have been hanging out a lot lately! _And that it's not for her new song choreography!_ ”

“Hyung!” Dongwoo protests but Sunggyu shushes him and tunes back into his phone call. His dad is right in the middle of an impassioned lecture that he's heard several versions of already.

“And how can you say you're bored? Is it the university? Are they not challenging you enough? I knew we should have sent you to Vienna! You know there's still time for that.” Mingyu rants.

“They're challenging me just fine! And you know my German is shit.” Sunggyu drones out, banging his head on the table.

“Well, if you'd practice it more, it would be much better!” Mingyu responds, taking exception to Sunggyu’s tone. “Was that your head on the table? I told you that you need to stop doing that!”

_Ugh. Would the nagging ever end?_ Sunggyu mumbles out an apology and lifts his head.

“Your sister and I will be out for a meeting anyway. Why don't you go play with Dongwoo for the day?” His father said, and Sunggyu could already tell by his tone that he wasn't welcome in the company today.

“Yes, abeoji… Have a safe drive.” He hung up before his dad could say anything else and once again dropped his head on the table.

“Bad talk?” Dongwoo asked, wiry hands already playing with Sunggyu's hair. If it were anyone else, Sunggyu would have kicked them but it was Dongwoo so it was fine.

“He told me to ‘go play’ with you for the day.”

“Oh yay! A playdate!” His friend said kicking his legs out as if they were about to start running around.

Sunggyu looked up and glared at his younger friend.

“Oh…” Dongwoo said, catching on to Sunggyu's bad mood. “Oh no, a playdate?” Five seconds of complete silence passed before Dongwoo opened his mouth again.

“Hey, can we have a sleepover and make forts?” He asks, still too tickled by the idea of a playdate. Sunggyu groans and buries his head in his arms.

Sunggyu and Dongwoo are in the middle of shopping when the rains start, the fact in itself isn’t unusual for the time of year but the volume is cause for concern. As Dongwoo mulls over another purchase, Sunggyu can’t help but bite his lip in worry as the rain worsens. They can hear it loud and clear from inside the mall.

“You should call them. Ask how they’re doing.” Dongwoo says from behind him.

Sunggyu thinks so too but he thinks of his father sending him off to play with his friend, of his noona mentioning his mother last night. His pride wins and he shrugs off Dongwoo’s concern. “I’m sure they’re fine. Besides, I don’t know if either of them are driving so I’d just distract them, anyway.”

* * *

An hour and a half later, Sunggyu sits beside his noona’s hospital bed and wonders numbly how everything would have been different if he had called them instead. Would his father still be alive? Would his sister be awake and nagging him to come to dinner with them? He draws in a shaky breath and focuses on the steady beeps of the machines attached to his sister. There were funeral arrangements to be made, relatives to receive, the board of directors and the press were hounding his phone, trying to reach him through any possible means. At least here in the ICU, he could find some sort of peace.

Jieun was fine for someone who had been in such a terrible accident, even with her skull cracked and arm and other bones broken, the doctors said, she was awake when the first responders had reached the scene. Sunggyu could picture her insisting frantically on them helping their father first, could see the responders reaching in to check him for a pulse and slowly shaking their heads. She was placed in a coma to help her body and mind recover from the trauma of the accident. It would be best to wait a few weeks, they said, before she should be weaned off the drugs that kept her under. Sunggyu had merely nodded to everything the doctors had suggested. They were the experts, he couldn’t help his noona. Like everything else in life, he wasn’t in control.

“Sunggyu-ssi.” The gentle voice of Sungjong shook him out of his pity party.

Sunggyu took a moment to look at his sister’s assistant. A few years older than he was with blonde hair and a delicate, almost feminine figure. He wondered why he seemed so much stronger than Sunggyu felt at that moment.

“Are my aunts here?”He asks, already beginning to stand.

“Yes, they’ve been led to the temporary hall where Mr. Kim is… Where Mr. Kim’s ashes are being kept and are being briefed on the ceremony.” Sungjong replies, a small shake of his bright head is all it takes to cover up the momentary lapse. “I’ve told them that you were watching over your sister. I… I also brought you a sandwich.”

Sunggyu blinks. “I--, you didn’t have to. Thank you, Sungjong-ssi.” He takes one last look at his sister and leaves the room with the assistant right on his tail. “The press?”

“We’ve released a statement asking for some time and the hospital security is helping keep them away for now. Some of the E.R. staff have leaked some information and our lawyers are drafting our complaints to the medical board, as we speak.”

“Right. Uhh… I... how, how’s everything else?” Sunggyu asks, feeling dumb, not really knowing what in particular he needs to ask about.

Sungjong inhales sharply and for a moment it looks like he’s about to slap Sunggyu silly but then he responds that all their artists’ schedules are being cancelled and those promoting overseas or out of town are heading home. “The pre-recorded stuff will still be aired but we’re trying to get the more exciting stuff edited or at least pushed back to next week, and-- do you need a minute?” Sungjong asks, as Sunggyu stops to squat down and place his head in his hands.

“Sorry, it’s just, I’ve never… I don’t even know what to do with all this information. I know it’s all important and there’s probably decisions to be made but I, I was never going to be the one to make them and…” Sunggyu trails off, feeling small and lost.

The older male takes another slow breath through his nose, this time with his eyes closed, before stooping down to be at level with Sunggyu. “Look, I owe your family a lot. And I know I’m a bit of an ass to you every time you come by the office but it’s only because you distract your dad and sister a lot when you hang around. It’s like someone comes by with an adorable, well-behaved two-year old who steals the candy on my desk while no one is looking except it’s just you, you’re far from well-behaved, and you don’t steal my candy you just take the stuff brazenly like you own it.”

“Ummm… is this supposed to be a pep talk?” Sunggyu asks, attention suddenly diverted from the million and one things he should be thinking about but can’t process.

“The point is, I’m here to help you. You’re not alone in this. You just need to get through the period where Jieun-ssi is recovering without publicly fucking things up and I, and all the other employees of Kim Entertainment, will be right behind you making sure you don’t.”

Sunggyu took a few moments to let Sungjong’s words sink in. There was no denying that there was a lot on his shoulders, but he wasn’t bearing any of this alone. He had spent the past two years wondering how he could step into this world and now here he was being thrust into it. Nodding to himself, he braces his hands on his thighs and stands up, groaning at the effort. He was down there longer than he should have been.

The older man rises more gracefully than Sunggyu could ever hope to and raises a condescending brow at him. “For someone who’s only 22, you have the body of the grandpa.”

By the time Sungjong sends him off to prepare his mourning attire and get some rest (which was really code for ‘get the hell out of here before you cause a scene and the press sniffs it out’), Sunggyu definitely feels like he’s aged enough to be a grandpa. It’s only nine in the evening and already he’s had to deal with so many legal issues, he may as well have gone to law school, he’s given a short press conference that is probably already been dissected and torn apart by k-netz on naver, and he’s had to deal with the one person he never wanted to see again, his mother.

His mother whose divorce to his father had never been registered, who has apparently been living in their summer home in Jeonju for the past two years, not in America, as he was told she had run away to after her messy divorce from her father five years ago.

“What a mess.” He mutters to himself as he strides purposefully across the wide great room of the penthouse.

“I agree.” The voice comes from behind him and Sunggyu immediately turns to look for the source of the creepy voice. The lights in the apartment switch on and it’s only then that Sunggyu notices the burly men lined up against their blackout curtains and the owner of the voice, a ferocious looking male casually sitting in what was once his mother’s favorite wing chair. There’s a boy too, a teenager, by the looks of him. He’s kneeling by the vicious looking man’s feet.

“Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?!” Sunggyu screeches, already reaching for his phone to call security.

“Ahhh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mr. Kim. It would make things quite awkward for the both of us, it might even be a rather painful mistake to make for you. Why don’t you take a seat?” The man is smiling widely and Sunggyu thinks he’s never seen a human resemble a shark more than this stranger has. He remains standing, phone still in hand. The muscle men have stepped closer to the center of the room and Sunggyu wonders how quickly he can call for help.

The man continues speaking as if Sunggyu hasn’t just ignored his invitation to sit, as if he hasn’t just thrown a thinly veiled threat to the composer. “Your father and I have known each other for quite some time, we’ve been… shall we say business acquaintances?”

“What are you talking about?” At the mention of his father, Sunggyu feels a stabbing pain in his heart, his head starts to spin. This man was obviously a criminal… why the hell would his father be connected to him?

“Ah, I seem to have forgotten my manners. I’m from Paradise Entertainment. You may call me Mr. Kang.” The man crossed then re-crossed his legs, his hand settling on the boy kneeling next to him. “Your father and I have some unfinished business.” The boy shakes under the touch and Sunggyu can’t help but feel sick.

Mr. Kang notices Sunggyu’s gaze and his smile widens, if that’s even possible. “I see you’ve taken notice of your new pet. Such a pretty boy, is he not?” The young boy’s head it forcefully tilted up and there’s a blank expression on his face. But his eyes show he is terrified beyond anything.

Sunggyu looks up flustered and confused. “ _My what?!_ ”

“I had thought this brat was being bought for your sister again, but I can see perhaps daddy wanted to buy his precious son his own toy.” Mr. Kang strokes the boy’s head one more time before standing up. “Well, I don’t usually make personal deliveries but given the circumstances, it was only proper that I came to introduce myself and offer my condolences. Goodwill is, after all, so very important in business. Your father and sister were on their way to pick this one up when they met that rather inconvenient mishap.”

One of the meatheads strides over and hands a brown paper envelope to Mr. Kang who in turn offers the same to Sunggyu. “His personal effects and details. If you have any trouble at all with him, the envelope contains details on what he responds to best.”

Sunggyu refuses to reach for the envelope so it’s dropped onto the coffee table without ceremony.

“Now, since you seem to be unaware of the situation, you’re of no further use to me. Consider this visit a warning that your cooperation and your silence will be beneficial to you. I’d hate to think of what investors might do if another accident were to befall your family.” With that parting message, Kang gestures to his men and they leave the penthouse.

“What the fuck? _What the fuck!_ ” Sunggyu brings one hand to his head, the other, the one clutching his phone, goes to rub over his heart.

A surprisingly deep voice causes his pulse to spike again. “Um, can I stand?”

“What?” Is his intelligent response, blinking at the boy. Only just remembering that he too had been left behind.

Said boy bites down, hard, on his lip. “Sorry. I… I'll just stay down. I'm sorry.” When the boy moves to bow his head, body following to a position almost parallel to the floor, Sunggyu snaps out of his daze.

“No! No!” He yells, striding forward to make the boy stand. “I'm sorry, I… forgot… that you were here… Please, don't kneel and don't bow, stand, if you want. Or sit. Just…”

Sunggyu trails off when he realizes how stiff the boy is holding himself, immediately, the former leaps away from the latter as if he's been burned. “Are you… do you work for that guy? For Mr. Kang? Is he your employer?”

“Employer?” The boy just repeats the word, as if he's confused by it. He looks so lost and innocent, Sunggyu can't help but feel sorry for him.

“What do you do?” Sunggyu tries again after a few awkward minutes pass of just them staring at each other.

“Whatever you want me to.” The boy replied simply, no, mechanically. Like the response has been programmed into him. Which, what the actual fuck?

When Sunggyu motions for him to sit, he immediately lowers himself to the ground. “No, no, sit on the chair not… oh god, please.” It seems like everything he says is the wrong thing and only makes the boy behave in a way that only confirms what Kang had implied about him and what the actual nature of his earlier response.

Carefully, as if a bomb may have been slipped inside of it, Sunggyu examines the contents of the brown envelope. There are quite a few documents inside including photos of the boy seated a few feet from him and a birth certificate, a purchase agreement, and a dossier labeled as ‘product information.’ Apparently the boy, Nam Woohyun, was the ‘product.’

Sunggyu feels like the rug has been pulled out from under him and he can't process this _and_ his grief _and_ his anger but he's sure of one thing: they can't stay here. It's not safe. If Kang was able to come in and go just like that, he would be able to come back too. When Sunggyu stands, the Woohyun's eyes track his movement but he stays completely still.

“Woohyun…” Sunggyu says, using his name for the first time. “We need to get out of here.”

Woohyun is instantly on his feet. His _bare_ feet, Sunggyu notices. “Do you have… shoes?”

Woohyun shakes his head. “The old ones didn' t fit anymore.” He turns tomato red and bites his lip, looking as if he said more than he should have.

Gently, Sunggyu asks, “What old ones?”

“From… from when they took me.” Woohyun whispers back.

Sunggyu recalls the dossier he just read ‘Date of Acquisition: November 5, 2006.” He hasn't had shoes that fit in _four_ years. Silently, he makes his way to his room and into his closet, even after having moved out, it is still full of clothes and shoes, some having been used just once. Woohyun is trailing him quietly. Eyes full of tears, Sunggyu hands the younger boy his most comfortable and new pair of Van's and a clean pair of socks. “We'll get you a new pair soon, okay?”

Woohyun is shocked at first then he nods slowly, blinking back tears, takes the shoes and stoops to put them on. When Woohyun is done putting the shoes on, Sunggyu collects his mourning attire, and leads Woohyun out of the penthouse and to the garage.

When they're a few miles away from Hannam, Sunggyu explains that he's taking Woohyun to his own apartment for the time being. “Not many people know that I live there and it's not a high profile building but the security is tight since the guards pretty much know all of the residents.”

From his periphery, Sunggyu can see Woohyun nodding but it seems that the younger is shivering a bit and struggling to stay awake. When they're at the next red light, Sunggyu lowers the air conditioning and gives his hoodie to him. It reeks of the hospital but it's all he can give right now. “Thank you…” Woohyun says, his voice still low and quiet, as if he's used to speaking to barely be heard.

“Get some sleep.” Sunggyu suggests. “It'll take an hour with Friday traffic. I'll wake you when we get there.”

Woohyun nods and closes his eyes, leaning his head against the window.

Sunggyu can tell when the younger really falls asleep. His pouty lips open slightly and the perpetual tension on his forehead is gone. His small hands though are clutching at the seatbelt like it's a lifeline and his body is leaned as far away from Sunggyu as possible. Sighing to himself, Sunggyu steals a glance at the heavens. “ _What have you done, dad?_ ”

* * *

## Never Let It Fade Away

* * *

Sunggyu backed gently into his assigned parking slot. Luckily, he had chosen to splurge and spend on a spot right across the elevators and the units on his floor were unoccupied so this would be a short and hopefully uneventful trip to his flat. He turned to wake the younger boy but was surprised to find him already blinking up at him.

“Uh… we’re here…” Sunggyu says lamely.

Woohyun gives a jerky nod in response then struggles to unbuckle his seatbelt.

Unsure if he should reach out and help, Sunggyu exaggeratedly but silently unclips his own seatbelt, like they would in flight safety videos where they had to teach passengers how to buckle and unbuckle their seatbelts.

Woohyun bites his lip and mimics Sunggyu’s actions, finally free of the safety device, he looks to Sunggyu as he grabbed the door handle.

“Is… is it okay?” He asks, voice low and rough from sleep.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Sunggyu says as he steps out of the car. He grabs some bags from the backseat and leads Woohyun to the elevators. It’s an awkward trip up (Sunggyu stood right in front of the doors and Woohyun all but melted into the elevator wall) but one that passes without incident, so Sunggyu tries to be grateful for that.

As Sunggyu opens his front door, he tries to remember the state he left his apartment in. He had exited in a rush, he fell back asleep right when his sister left and he was going to be late for his lunch with Dongwoo.

God, that seemed like it had happened years ago. Sunggyu thinks sadly.

“Sorry for the mess…” He comments as he ushers Woohyun in. “Don’t worry about anyone barging in, I live alone.”

He takes Woohyun along for a short tour through the apartment, there wasn't much to see.

A sparsely stocked kitchen, “ _I usually have food delivered or eat out_.”

A plainly decorated living room with several musical instruments scattered about, “ _I study music.._.”

The guest room, “ _You can stay in this room, it has its own bathroom so you’ll be comfortable_.”

And finally, the door to his own bedroom. He didn’t want to give the young man the wrong impression so he just points it out and says nothing else.

Sunggyu lets the awkward silence between them simmer for awhile before reminding himself that he has to get back to the funeral hall.

“Woohyun…” Woohyun looks up and for a moment he seems to be steeling himself for whatever Sunggyu is about to say.

“Why do you always look at me like that?” Sunggyu can’t help but ask but he can already guess the answer. His emotions boil over and Woohyun’s continued silence only makes him angry.

He thinks of how he's been trying to be so careful with how he speaks to Woohyun and treat him.

Thinks that he's an absolute stranger treating Woohyun like he's made of glass when all of this is new to Sunggyu and he hasn't done anything wrong.

Thinks of how he should be grieving for his deceased father but he can’t because how can he grieve someone who may have been a monster?

“I’m not like that! I don’t want you like that!” He rages, striding across the room, away from where he and Woohyun were seated. “My father didn’t even like men and my sister has a boyfriend! We’re not some evil family that buys people for sex! We’re not! I don’t care what lies that criminal was spewing but this is all just some misunderstanding!”

Sunggyu tries to take deep breaths and his panic and hurt settle in and seem to lodge themselves in his throat, making him unable to breathe or speak.

“My dad was a good man.” He insists quietly. He was, wasn't he? Sunggyu can only wonder, can only cling to his own memories and experiences since he knows nothing about Woohyun's own.

Sunggyu feels sad, and angry, and every time he even looks at Woohyun he feels inexplicably guilty as well. This kid is just two years younger than he is but he’s had his whole life stolen from him. For whatever reason, his dad was involved in that.

He remembers Mr. Kang’s words clear as day. It doesn’t seem like Woohyun was the first person his father ever purchased. And even if he can’t reconcile his memory of his strict but benevolent father to the man who would buy human beings as products, he feels like he owes something to Woohyun.

His pride won’t let him apologize, he wouldn’t even know what to apologize for, really. But maybe he can try to get Woohyun’s life back for him.

“Where are you from? I’ll bring you there as soon as I can.” He says, turning to address the other who has been sitting quietly this entire time.

“Wait… no! Please!!! Please don’t send me back!!!” The younger begs, suddenly on his knees in front of Sunggyu. “I’ll do anything! I might not be g-g-good at the things you like, but I--,I can learn! Please!” Woohyun is at Sunggyu’s feet, tugging urgently, desperately on his pants.

What?? “Stop, stop! Woohyun! Seriously! Get up!” Sunggyu grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him up but it’s either Woohyun’s legs have no strength left in them or he’s using his strength to keep himself glued to the ground.

They’re at an impasse until Sunggyu’s hand slips off down Woohyun’s shoulders and he accidentally pushes Woohyun down onto the floor. “Oh, shit! I’m sorry--” To Sunggyu’s surprise, Woohyun lets go of him completely and curls into himself.

“Woohyun…”

“I can’t go back there… please…” He sobs as if the cries are being physically wrenched out of his body. It’s such a pathetic sight that Sunggyu immediately feels doubly, no triply guilty for not thinking his words through. His parents and sister had always told him that running his mouth would get him into trouble.

Sunggyu awkwardly walks around the weeping boy and goes to his bathroom to retrieve a washcloth. Crouching down, he gently guides a still crying Woohyun to a sitting position. “Here, don’t-- I said it wrong. Don’t cry. I won’t give you back to Mr. Kang. I swear.”

With one hand firmly wrapped around Woohyun’s wrist, he uses the other to clean Woohyun’s face. The acts seem to calm the younger, or at least shock him into submission. Instinctively, Sunggyu brings the other side of the cloth to Woohyun’s nose and tells the latter to blow into it, just like his mom used to when he cried as a child.

Woohyun’s eyes widen in surprise. “Wha---what?!” The younger says, the tips of his ears already turning a fire engine red.

Sunggyu can’t help but smile widely at his reaction. “Blow your nose, Woohyun-ie!” He says, goading the younger teasingly. Woohyun pushes Sunggyu’s hand away, grabbing the cloth for himself.

“I--I’m not a kid!” Woohyun says as he pulls away, ostensibly to blow his nose but really it’s to hide his blush. Unfortunately, even the cloth can’t completely hide the tomato red tinge of his face.

Sunggyu just laughs. The younger looks so cute and flustered and it feels like forever since he last smiled so as Woohyun looks away to clear his nostrils, Sunggyu allows his emotions to settle in and reach some sort of equilibrium.

When he’s done spacing out, Sunggyu realizes that Woohyun is staring at him. He tilts his head questioningly.

“I--I asked why, why you did that…” Woohyun repeats.

“Oh… I just, this isn’t a way to talk. I need to talk to you, we need to talk to each other.” Sunggyu says seriously. “You and I keep misunderstanding each other. But first, I need to make this very clear: No matter what they told you when they brought you to my apartment, I have absolutely no intention of sleeping with you.”

Before the panicked look could return to Woohyun’s eyes, Sunggyu quickly clarified himself. “I have no intention of sending you back to Mr. Kang either. You don’t have any reason at all to trust me but I need you to trust me on this. I’m not a pervert nor a criminal, at this point, I’m even more lost than you are. I want to help you, Woohyun. I just don’t know how.”

Silence hangs heavy between them as Sunggyu allows Woohyun time to process his words. “I… I don’t know.” Woohyun says quietly. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”

Sunggyu can only nod quietly as he moves to sit on the edge of a couch.

“What did you mean before?” Woohyun asks, he seems emboldened by the distance between them. “Before, when… before I cried…”

“Oh.” Sunggyu lightens up, realizing Woohyun may not need to trust him for very long, anyway. “I--, is… I was thinking I could bring you back to your parents, to your family.”

“My--my family?!” Woohyun’s eyes are round with alarm and mild horror.

Sunggyu pouts, that was not the joyous reaction he was expecting. He reaches for the file he had thrown onto the coffee table earlier. “I’m sure they’re still looking for you  and--”

“No!” Woohyun protests vehemently.

“Why not?! Wait, did they… they didn’t sell you to Mr. Kang did they?” Sunggyu asks, revolted by the thought.

“No!” The younger denies with equal vigor. “They--, they would never. I wasn’t sold to Paradise Entertainment.”

Woohyun looks away, biting his lip as if in deep thought. “They’re dead.” He finally spits out. “I have nowhere else to go.”

Sunggyu wants to probe further because he has freakishly good memory and the files indicated that Woohyun’s parents were very much alive. Unfortunately, his phone starts to ring, startling the both of them. He motions for Woohyun to stay silent as he answers the call.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Sunggyu-ssi.” Over the line, Sungjong sounds both relieved and annoyed. “Is everything alright? You’ve been gone for hours and the security at your Hannam-dong residence said you’re no longer in the building. You also haven’t answered any of our messages.”

The last sentence feels like a reprimand and Sunggyu feels mildly ashamed for not checking in. “I’m sorry… I got… uh, caught up in something. I’m in my apartment now, just needed to pick something up.”

Sunggyu listens as Sungjong updates him on what he has missed so far, it’s a lot, apparently.

“Some of these issues have been dealt with, I need you to officially sign off on some, and one in particular needs to be dealt with by you ASAP.”

Sunggyu can already guess which particular issue needs his attention. “My mother?”

“Yes. I can’t say much over the phone, but you do need to speak with her and the PR team as soon as possible. This is a loose end that we don’t want anyone to pull on right now.” Sungjong says, his voice gentle and conciliatory. “Your father was, your family is, the face of this company--”

Before Sungjong can lecture him further, Sunggyu interrupts him. “I know, I’m aware of the responsibilities and the scrutiny that comes with being in my family. I--I know I was an ass before I left the hospital but I promise, I’ll pull it together.”

He hears Sungjong pulling in an irate breath at the interruption but otherwise he doesn’t give an indication that Sunggyu has annoyed him, his voice is the epitome of a cool-headed professional. They talk a bit more until Sunggyu’s curiosity gets the best of him.

“Hey, Sungjong-ssi? I was wondering if you knew one of my father’s business associates.” Sunggyu notices that Woohyun, who had remained sitting on the floor, leaning his head on the coffee table, sits up and leans closer. He puts the call on speaker, lowering the volume so that the sound doesn’t echo and Sungjong remains none the wiser.

“I know quite a few, but mainly the ones your sister also dealt with and the big investors. Is there someone you want to speak to?”

“Have you ever met Mr. Kang?” He asks bluntly, hoping to catch the secretary off guard.

“ ** _Mr. Kang_**?” Sungjong’s voice is suddenly as sharp as a blade. “Sunggyu, where did you hear that name?”

It’s Sunggyu who is caught off guard. Sungjong has never called him by his name informally, even at the height of all the office pranks he sometimes pulled. “Someone...uhh offered his condolences, is all.”

“Where?!” He can almost see Sungjong press his phone tighter to his ear. “Did he approach you personally?”

“Uhh, I don’t really remember if it was him or someone mentioned him. It--, everything is a jumble in my head right now.” Sunggyu responds as casually as he can.

Sungjong waits a beat, maybe to see if Sunggyu will add anything else, maybe to recall if he had met a Mr. Kang, Sunggyu wished he knew the older well enough to read his silence.

“It could be that PD from that idol survival show he had been talking to lately.” Sungjong settles smoothly, his voice sounded suspiciously normal. “Listen, a lot of people will be approaching you, it’s easier if you keep to yourself a bit.”

Sunggyu listens a bit more as Sungjong offers him more advice on how to act while the press is still hounding his every move before the latter tells him to get some rest and head to the hospital bright and early the next day instead of now.

“I’ll hold things down here while you rest up, it’ll be at least 3 weeks before you get any proper rest at the rate things are going so take as much as you can now. Your mother wants to stay in the hospital anyway, so I doubt you would want to deal with her right now.”

Sunggyu confirms the plans for tomorrow, thanks Sungjong and ends the call. His eyes meet Woohyun’s and he can’t help but voice out his agreement to what Woohyun has probably concluded. “He knows something…”

Woohyun looks a little surprised at his admission. “Who, who is he?”

“He’s my sister’s assistant. Well, he has an official, long winded title but that’s the gist of his job.” Sunggyu explains. “He was, is my sister’s right hand man. Everything she knows, he knows. So if he knows about Mr. Kang then…”

“Then so does she…” Woohyun finishes his thought quietly.

Sunggyu leans his elbows on his knees and cradles his head in his hands. It’s all getting to be too much again. “I’m sorry, Woohyun… I’m so damn sorry.”

He feels Woohyun's hand on his knee and he can't bear to lift his head up to meet his eyes.

"It's okay..." The younger says.

“It’s not okay!” Sunggyu responds. “You’re a human being! You’re not chattel. This isn’t right. My family’s involvement in it doesn’t make it _right_ or _legal_ or _okay_. It makes me sick.”

Woohyun seems taken aback by his outburst. “You don’t even know me.”

“I don’t have to, I just have to know what’s right and this isn’t it.” Sunggyu bites his lip before continuing. “I want to hear their side but my sister won’t be conscious until three weeks from now so if you want to press charges immediately, I’ll stand by you.”

“Press charges?” Woohyun looks confused and mildly appalled. “I don’t want that.”

It’s Sunggyu’s turn to be confused. “You don’t?”

Woohyun shakes his head, grabbing a throw pillow and settling comfortably on the floor. “They didn’t do this to me. And they’ve technically never hurt me either. If there’s anyone who should be sued its Mr. Kang and his thugs but I don’t want to deal with them...”

Sunggyu nods thoughtfully. He didn’t want to deal with Mr. Kang either, at least if he went against his family the fight would stay legal (and maybe emotional).

“Well, what do you want? I can help you. I can’t just let you wander off on your own, that wouldn’t be safe or responsible.”

Woohyun juts his lower lip out, thinking. “You’ll help me?”

Sunggyu nods enthusiastically.

“Can I, can I think about it? I mean… I haven’t really, um, I never thought I’d be able to do anything ever again.” Woohyun says, half-stumbling over his words in excitement and disbelief.

“You can now. I mean, I’m not some genie or fairy godmother or anything but I can help you with some things.” Sunggyu says. “It’s getting late and I’ll be busy tomorrow, and maybe the following days too, so you’ll have plenty of time to think of something.”

Sunggyu leads Woohyun back to the guest room and hands him a key. “This room has a double bolt system, and you need both keys to open it from the inside and the out. It’s a safety feature I had installed, kind of like a panic room. You can use this key to lock yourself in and no one will be able to get through this door.”

“Not even you?”

“Not even me. There’s only one key for the inner bolt.” Sunggyu assures Woohyun. “The outer key is with my sister, so I won’t be able to lock you in or anything if you’re worried about that.”

Woohyun nods, turning the key in his hand. His fingers are stubby but manly looking, and Sunggyu can’t help but feel conscious of his own, feminine looking fingers.

“Look, I know it’s difficult for you to trust anyone right now… I won’t expect you to do that, but I swear on my life, I’m not going to hurt you.” Sunggyu promises before stepping towards his own room.

They bid each other a quiet good night and when Sunggyu hears Woohyun’s door close and the bolt snap into place, he doesn’t understand why the hell he feels so disappointed.

* * *

## Catch a Falling Star

* * *

**June 10, 2010**

Sunggyu wakes up the next morning with the biggest headache that threatens to turn worse when he reads Sungjong’s message that he has sent his noona’s boyfriend, Detective Lee Hoya, to pick him up. Just what he needs: a police baby sitter while he's harboring a trafficking victim. As he begins to get ready, he wonders when people in his life will stop infantilizing him. When all signs start to indicate never he focuses his attention on all the things he needs to tell Woohyun instead.

His primary concerns are security and food. He doesn’t have much and if the funeral ceremony drags on, he might be gone for more than a day. He also doesn’t know how they’ll manage to keep in touch throughout his absence and then he remembers he has a home phone. Back to the food problem then.

Sunggyu is striding out of his room in his mourning attire, coat jacket dangling from his hands, ready to wake Woohyun when he realizes the younger is seated in the dining area drinking a glass of water. He jumps when he notices Sunggyu.

“Um, sorry… I was thirsty so…”

Sunggyu waves off Woohyun’s rambling and tries to smile, he finds it’s a lot easier than he thought it would be. “It’s okay. Have you eaten?”

“No… I didn’t know if it was okay.” Woohyun answers honestly, trailing behind Sunggyu when he enters the kitchen. There's a quiver in his voice every time he speaks and Sunggyu isn't sure what to do with it or how to make it go away. He suddenly wishes he had inherited even half of his father's people skills but then he remembers...

“Well, it is. I don’t have much but feel free to cook up a storm. You… you do know how to cook don’t you?” Sunggyu asks abruptly. If Woohyun doesn’t know how to cook then he really can’t leave him alone.

Woohyun nods. “I learned when I was younger, just basic stuff.”

“Perfect. I only have ingredients for basic stuff.” Sunggyu replies with a friendly tone. He shows Woohyun where everything is and how to turn the gas and exhaust. “Here, try it out and make yourself some breakfast. I need to move this phone to your room.”

“You won’t eat?” Woohyun asks.

The question catches Sunggyu off guard but also pleases him somehow. It was really sweet of him to think of Sunggyu. “Uh, I usually skip breakfast. Don’t worry about me.”

The younger, oblivious to the warmth spreading in Sunggyu’s chest, only nods and starts working on the food. Sunggyu waits a beat or two, watching to make sure he understood Sunggyu’s instructions about the stove and exhaust before he begins the task of transferring the phone and the phone lines. When he comes back out, he joins Woohyun at the table before grabbing a pack of juice from the refrigerator.

“So…” he says awkwardly, unsure of where to begin.

Woohyun stops eating and looks up at him.

“Wait, no, keep eating.” He urges. “I just need you to listen.”

When Woohyun starts eating, rice and ramyun with egg, interesting combination, Sunggyu finally finds the right words.

“I’m going to be out the whole day, it might be longer, depending on the arrangements.” He deliberately doesn’t mention that the arrangements refer to his father’s funeral arrangements. No need to get emotional over breakfast. “I’ll be leaving you a spare key and the new combination to the electronic lock just in case you need to leave. I… I don’t know if you agree with me but it’s better if you lay low for now. I’ll be leaving some money too, in case you need to buy food or necessities. I put the phone, the intercom, and some bottles of water and snacks in the room in case someone comes in and you need to hide. Just hide there. Don’t worry, the door has a steel plate inside and it’ll take a literal battering ram to break in. After you finish eating, I’ll show you how the phone works. Is there anything you need from me right now though?”

“Um…” Woohyun has that look on his face where he’s not sure if he should say anything, Sunggyu waits as patiently as he can.

_He drums his fingers on the table,_

_counts to twenty in his head,_

_traces the pattern of the floor tiles_.

He’s just about to repeat his question when Woohyun finally answers.

“Clothes… I don’t really… have any.” Woohyun says quietly, blushing.

“Oh, I’ll set some aside for you. I have some unused, uh, underwear too.” Sunggyu says awkwardly. “Right… uh, you’re done?” He gestures to the food hoping the action and his transition don’t seem too clumsy. Woohyun nods and Sunggyu takes the plates and utensils to the sink, soaking them in water.

Sunggyu quickly shows Woohyun how to work the phone and how to use the intercom security tablet to check the camera on the door. While Woohyun is preoccupied with the tablet like object, he quickly grabs some clothes from his closet, cringing as he remembers the unused pairs are gag gifts from Dongwoo.

“Don’t laugh.” He warns Woohyun when he gives him the pile. “Those were a joke from a friend.”

Woohyun has to bite his lip and look away so he doesn’t snort about the pig boxers. It seems the rest of the underwear is animal-themed too.

“If you don’t like the clothes just go into my room and wear anything, I’m not particular about sharing.” Sunggyu says, checking his messages to see if Hoya has sent him any messages.

‘ _ETA 17 minutes_ ’

“I can go into your room?” Woohyun asks, his surprise apparent.

Sunggyu laughs. “It’s not like I have anything to hide!” Except maybe his lube and… well, he keeps that drawer locked anyway.

“I…” Woohyun trails off before inhaling and looking Sunggyu in the eye. “Last night, you, um, you only showed me the door so I thought…”

“Oh, that! I, uh… I didn’t want to give you the wrong impression about… you know.” The grateful expression on Woohyun’s face helps ease some of Sunggyu’s discomfort.

‘ _Break in traffic, up in 7 minutes._ ’

Ugh. This Hoya dude was a serious pain in the ass.

“My ride is almost here, he’s probably not going to come in but just in case…”

“I’ll lock the door and keep quiet.” Woohyun says, clutching tightly onto his room key. Sunggyu nods approvingly.

“If you need anything, anything at all, call my number, okay? Check in when you feel like it too. If it’s been awhile, and I haven’t picked up or called you back, call the second number I gave you.” He tries to emphasize that Woohyun has a choice on whether to call him or not. It would be better if he called but he tries to be aware of the way he phrases he uses. He does not need another tearful breakdown like last night. His already weak heart can't handle it.

“It’s not Sungjong is it?” Woohyun asks cautiously.

“No, no, not him. It’s my friend Dongwoo’s. He’s a good guy, an angel when he isn’t being the world’s biggest fool. He’ll make sure I get your message and he’ll be with me the whole day.” One of his requests was that Dongwoo be one of the principal mourners seeing as how he was practically a second son to his dad. Woohyun nods and waves before Sunggyu shuts the door.

The bolt has just clicked into place when Hoya rings his doorbell. Sunggyu lets out a quick exhale before meeting him at the door.

“Good morning, Sunggyu. I’m sorry about your father.”

Sunggyu nods. What a robot. He and Dongwoo call him robocop behind his back. Except robocop is actually cool.

He moves to shut the door but Hoya stops him and asks if he could have a glass of water before they leave. _That’s odd_. In the almost 4 years that Sunggyu has known him, he’s never been so forward. Not wanting to seem rude, Sunggyu acquiesces and gets him a glass of water, making sure to make as much noise as possible to alert Woohyun that they haven’t left yet.

Hoya is completely silent but his eyes are shifting around, taking everything in.

“Is something wrong?” Sunggyu asks as he hands him the glass of water.

“Nothing in particular.” He replies blankly. His eyes land on Woohyun’s door and Sunggyu can feel perspiration gather beneath his bangs. “You locked your panic room?”

Sunggyu grabs the empty glass from Hoya’s hand and stacks it on top of Woohyun’s dirty dishes, making sure to answer when his back is still turned. “Just secured my laptop and valuables inside while I’m out. Can we go?”

Hoya just nods and leads the way out.

_Robocop_. Sunggyu mocks childishly.

Sunggyu expects complete silence during the car ride, just like every other trip they’ve shared, but Hoya is surprisingly chatty that day. He asks about Sunggyu’s classes, how he’s taken the news, the weather, even asking how his friend Dongwoo is doing. It feels like he’s trying to get Sunggyu to relax, but it isn’t working. Sunggyu feels more keyed up than ever. Despite feeling tense, Sunggyu tries to be as nonchalant as possible with his answers and demeanor. The nonchalance flies out the window when Hoya’s questioning becomes more particular.

“It must have been rough last night. I can’t imagine why you would want to spend it alone. Surely your friends wanted to be there for you.”

Sunggyu’s eyes narrow and his eyebrows come together. “I needed to be alone. I like being alone.”

Sensing his animosity Hoya changes the subject. “I was going to ask if you wanted to grab a bite to eat but it seems like you already had breakfast.”

“Is that a crime?” Sunggyu deflects, praying to all the gods that his stomach doesn’t rumble.

“No, just unusual is all. I remember when we went to Jeonju, you always opted to skip it.” His tone has Sunggyu feeling completely defensive.

“Are you giving me a ride or interrogating me?” Sunggyu demands, ready to leap out of the vehicle onto oncoming traffic.

“It’s just a conversation, Sunggyu. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.” Hoya responds, holding up a conciliatory hand, indicating he’s going to stop the questions.

“Whatever. Just drive.” Sunggyu mutters under his breath. He spends the rest of the drive either replying to messages from Dongwoo and Sungjong or staring angrily out the window.

When they get to the funeral hall Sunggyu thanks him stiffly before striding off to find Sungjong.

His day only gets more complicated from there. Sungjong informs him that he’ll be on-duty until the funeral which is scheduled for three days from then, he has to console his weeping mother _for the cameras_ , and Hoya has taken the entire day off of his police duties to pretend he’s a son-in-law or something. _Oh, joy_.

Waves upon waves of people arrive, from business associates to celebrities and employees. All things considered, he should be an emotional wreck by now but somehow, finding out about Woohyun has dulled the pain of losing his father. Now all he has to do is mindlessly receive the guests, thank them for remembering his father, and sharing a personal anecdote or two about the more _important_ guests and his dad which Sungjong whispers to him furiously as the guest approaches him.

It’s well past noon when his phone begins to vibrate in his pocket. He set it to do that only for Woohyun’s calls so he tells Sungjong he needs to go to the restroom. He’s been kneeling on the coarse mat for hours without break so he’s a bit wobbly on his feet. Dongwoo gets up to steady him and his eldest male cousin takes over his position for the time being.

Sunggyu checks discreetly to make sure that Hoya isn’t following him before slipping into one of the bathroom stalls. Thankfully, the funeral hall is high-end so the stalls are actually tiny rooms with solid wooden doors.

“Woohyun? Is there something wrong?”

“Um, someone tried to get into the apartment… Two guys.” Woohyun said whispering.

Sunggyu’s blood feels like it’s frozen. “Did they get in?!”

“No, they kept trying the wrong password, I think, the keypad just kept pinging. I just… thought I should tell you.”

“Good, that’s good. Thanks for telling me.” Sunggyu sighs in relief.

“I tried to do the screen capture thing but the screen just locked.” Woohyun says. “Sorry…”

“No, it’s okay. Just remember you have to press both the lock button and the center button at exactly the same time.” Sunggyu assures him. “I have to go but I’ll call you again tonight. The rites will last three days including the burial so I’ll figure out a way to get you some food before then.”

“Oh… that’s right, your dad… I’m sorry.” Woohyun says sincerely.

Of all times to be emotional. Sunggyu inhales sharply. “Thank you.”

“You shouldn’t be worrying about me while you’re there. I can stretch the food out for three days.”

“No you can’t. And you shouldn’t have to. Woohyun… he’s dead, you’re alive.” Sunggyu responds. “I think we both know who needs more care.”

“Funerals aren’t for the dead.” Woohyun argues back. The tone he employs is different from how he had spoken to Sunggyu in the past and it shocks Sunggyu out of his state of numbness.

“I--, I’m okay. I’ll be okay. Thank you… for calling and, for that.” Sunggyu says, a silent stream now dripping down his face.

They say their goodbyes awkwardly and Sunggyu lets out a reminder to be careful before they both hang up. Sunggyu isn’t sure he can keep a stoic face on after that conversation. He tries to gather his thoughts before exiting the stall and he probably jumps a few feet into the air when he sees Hoya standing right outside his door.

“Sungjong asked me to check on you.” He says by way of explanation. He looks at Sunggyu’s red rimmed eyes and silently steps aside to let Sunggyu pass by him to get to the faucets.

“I’m fine.” He says after washing his face, trying to remove any trace of tears. Hoya only raises his thick brows and nods. When he comes out he sees there’s a short line of men waiting to use the restroom.

“Thought you’d appreciate some privacy.” Hoya says when Sunggyu asks if he prevented other people from entering.

“I said I was fine! I don’t need rumors circulating that I’m breaking down in public bathrooms or expecting privileged treatment for public restrooms!” Sunggyu hisses angrily before taking his place back on the coarse mat.

It’s hours later when Sungjong finally coaxes him from the mat so he can eat. When the food is placed in front of him, he suddenly realizes that he's starving. Sungjong raises a brow at how ravenously he’s eating.

“What?” He asks sullenly, mouth full of rice.

“You’re acting like this is your first meal.” Sungjong says casually.

“It is.” When Sungjong does this weird thing where his eyes get narrower but he tries to get them to stay a normal size, Sunggyu remembers that he said he had eaten breakfast at home. “My first meal in hours.” He clarifies belatedly.

_Smooth, Sunggyu._

While he eats, Sungjong casually apprises him of the duties that will be his for the time being. It’s mostly presence in meetings and meeting artists, nothing he’s never sat in for before and nothing that requires him to make any decisions.

“The most important thing is making sure that they appoint the right person as CEO for the remainder of your father’s term.” Sungjong says.

“Won’t there be a shareholders meeting to decide that?” Sunggyu puts forward. He had substantial stocks of his own so he had attended a few.

“In the ordinary course of things there would be but since the vacancy was caused by a death and the board still has quorum, the elections will be done by the board themselves, among themselves. The newly elected will only serve for the remainder of your father’s term which was supposed to end this September, anyway. By then your sister will be awake and she’ll hopefully be fit enough to be able to run for the position herself.”

Sunggyu nods thoughtfully. “Who do we want to win?”

“Lee Jungyeop is our best bet for a peaceful transition.” Sungjong replies. “It’s a way to make sure there isn’t a power grab when your sister tries to assume office.”

Sunggyu wonders if the man is involved with Paradise Entertainment too. He's met the tall, taciturn man several times in the past but he never had to pay attention to him so he didn't. He really regrets that now.

Before they can continue their conversation Hoya approaches Sungjong saying he needs to speak to him privately. Which is  _totally suspicious_ , by the way. Sunggyu is wondering whether or not he should follow them to eavesdrop when Dongwoo drops to sit beside him, wrapping an easy hand around his waist and leaning his head on his shoulder. It’s nice. Sunggyu doesn’t realize how tightly he’s been holding himself until he allows his body to relax into the half hug. He soaks in the easy skinship and the comfort for a few minutes.

“Hey, Dongwoo. I need you to do something for me, and I need you to do it as quickly and as quietly as possible.”

“Of course, hyung. If you need anything, you know you can count on me.” Dongwoo answers easily.

“I need you to call your manager to do some groceries for me and drop them off at my apartment.”

Dongwoo looks like a confused dinosaur, head tilting and lips open as if he’s trying to taste his words and figure out what they mean. “Is… is this code?”

“No, I mean exactly that.” Sunggyu replies quickly. “Don’t ask anymore questions. I promise I’ll explain soon, after the burial, but this is important and I would do it myself if I could get out but I can’t.”

“Okay, hyung. Should I give him your passcode?” Dongwoo asks, already whipping out his phone to fulfill Sunggyu’s odd requests.

“I’ve changed it. Just tell him to drop them off quietly in--,” The conversation is cut short when he feels a presence behind him. He whips his head around and Sungjong and Hoya are standing right behind them.

“ _Later_.” Sunggyu mutters in Dongwoo’s ear, squeezing his thigh to imprint the message further. “What was that about?” He asks Sungjong, before the blonde can probe about their own suspicious behavior.

“He wanted to ask about your noona’s condition.” Sungjong replies simply. It's believable enough if not for the fact that they deliberately had the conversation privately instead of in front of him. Sunggyu peppers him with more questions to keep him from asking his own until he and Dongwoo have to resume their place as mourners.

It must be nearing midnight when Dongwoo taps his leg inconspicuously and shows him a message from his manager asking where he needs to drop the food off. Sunggyu gets the phone and replies, ‘ _Press the buzzer 4 times then leave it outside_.’ Sunggyu asks for a bathroom break not long after sending the text.

He feels something strange in his belly when he calls Woohyun and the other doesn’t immediately pick up.

“Hello?” Woohyun’s voice sounds rough with sleep when he does eventually answer.

“Hey, sorry for waking you.” Sunggyu whispers apologetically, still relief bleeds into his voice.

“S’okay.” The younger mumbles sleepily. “Are you coming home?”

“No, I’m sorry. But someone is dropping by with groceries. He’ll buzz 4 times, remember only open the door if you hear 4 buzzes, and then leave the food outside for you to collect. Wait for him to leave the floor before getting the groceries, okay?”

When Woohyun is able to repeat the instructions back to him, Sunggyu bids him good night and tells him to sleep well. The ball of fear and worry in his belly starts to unravel a little as he strides back to the hall. He fails to notice Hoya trailing behind him out of the restroom because instead of following him back, the stoic detective slips out of the venue and into the dark night.

Sungjong smiles as receives a text from Hoya as Sunggyu resumes his place.

‘ _I’m en route. I have a way in._ ’

**Author's Note:**

> For purposes of plot, here are their ages:
> 
> Howon - 29  
> L - 25  
> Sungjong - 25  
> Sunggyu - 22  
> Dongwoo - 21  
> Woohyun - 20  
> Sungyeol - 20


End file.
